Rock Island daily Argus., 1887-10-22


And with these last words she lay prone
upon the floor as if dead. Raymond placed
her in chair and sprinbled water in her face,
and then when she began to revive he rushed
to the woods to wrestfe with his misery alone.
All this while that he was with his mother,
and going through this painful scene, there
had been an unseen auditor, who heard every
word, and that was Pierre vino crouched dazed
and stricken behind the portiere Without
wishing to he had surprised these terrible
secrets, and here too, for the first time, be
heard of Raymond's love for Suzanne. He
rose feebly and crept to his own room, and
threw himself on the couch with groan, and
tried to range in bis mind the things he had
heard. But all was confused mass of sound
and sense After awhile his mother came to
his room. She had never done so lefore,
Was it that her woman's heart cried out for
some one to love her, to believe in her?
My son, have come to say good night
/ hope, Pierre, that / have always been a
good mother to you"
'You have always been kind and indulgent
and full of affection"
You are good son, Pierre; but feel to-
night as if had not loved you as tenderly as
you have always deserved, And if have
ever made you feel that l have loved your
brother better than you, pray you pardon
me for it, above all, tonight"
"And why tonight more than any other
timer
because feel very tired and very III, and
feel that 1 have not long to live, and do
not wish, after / am gone, that you think l
did not love YOU"
'tIf you are not well, mother, we will go
away somewhere. A change perhaps would
do you good. l will see the doctor to-mor-
row.
''No, dear, do not wish to leave here. Now
shall go to bed; but, Pierre, before / go ]
want to hear you say, i pardon you"
Il have nothing to pardon
Say the words. my son; say them"
But mother"-
"Ah, you refuse; you are jealous still Of
the affection l have for Raymond Oh, my
son, feel tonight that you are even dearer
| to me than he, and it is for that that beg
your pardon"
But Pierre had lowered his eyes and stood
cold and rigid, making no sign, and she left
him, scarcely able to drag herself along, and
his heart melted at the sight of her feebleness
and he went and sustained her to her room.
When they were there she said, again trying
so hard to smile:
$50, then, my son will not pardon bis
motherF'
81 cannot" cried he; 81 cannot heard
all. know all"
"Ah'' said she, simply; then she burst into
laugh so harsh and strange that he started
and cried:
"Motherl Motherr'
Mother, mother; oh, yes, MOTHER said
she, shaking her head, but still laughing with
| that awful strident sound Suddenly she
| stopped, and her head fell forward and her
arms hung Imply down each side the chair.
'Great Godl"
Even to his inexperienced eyes this was
DEATH and he rang and in haste sent for Ray
mond and doctor, and then returned and
with the aidof the servants got her into bed,
where she lay dying. When Raymond heard
| abe gun shots he knew at once it was a note
Of alarm, as that was their method of com
munication when either was in the forest and
was wanted at home. He reached there, and
found his mother apparently dead, though she
revived and said feebly:
Raymond, Raymond, my best loved son,
will you do me one last favorl Go to Roger
and tell him ! am dying, and bring him here.
/ cannot face God without his pardon Bring
him, oh, Raymond, and Pierre will stay with
me. Dear, noble Pierre, whom never half
appreciated. Go, my son, in Gods namen
| Raymond rode as for life to ths White
House and told Roger, who looked at him
coolly and said:
"And Suzanne? Am to leave this inno-
cent child to die alone while go to the bed
side of that guilty womanr'
| Let me watch beside her My mother
must not die without your pardon; she has
mine, God knows Go to her and let me
watch by this dear one whose life is so
| precious to ails
Roger clasped his hand warmly, and with
| out another word led him TO Suzannes bed
side, saying to the nurse:
This is her promised husband |, ber
father, authorize him to stay here until my
return" And he rode away like the wind,
leaving Raymond on his knees by Suzanne,
! holding her burning hands in one of his,
while with the other he softly rubbed her